Replaceable container seal



March 17, 1931. .1. E, SHARP REF LACEA LS" CONTA I NER S E AL Nov. 14,1929 INVENTOR Patented Mar. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN E.SHARP, OF NEW KENSINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO ALUMINUM COMPANY 0FAMERICA, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION 0F PENNSYLVANIAREPLACEABLE CONTAINER SEAL in appearance that it readily shows thatthecontainer has been opened after being originally sealed.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of which Fig.l is a side vievv, partially in section, of the upper portion of a milkbottle, a cap being shown above it in position to be applied to it; Fig.2 a similar view of the bottle with the cap applied to it; Fig. 3 asimilar view of the bottle with the cap partially removed from it, andFig. 4r a sectional view taken on the line IVIV, F ig. l.

In the practice of this invention, a bottle or like container has itsexterior adjacent to its mouth provided With discontinuous grooves,preferably of curved configurations throughout, and a cap formed ofpliable material, preferably thin metal, is applied to the top of thecontainer, the cap being provided with a continuous and uninterruptedskirt which is so molded in position on the mouth of the container as toprovide it with detents Which engage the grooves of the container. Theform and disposition of the grooves on the container are such that Whenthe cap is rotated With relation to the container the detents so formedin its skirt become obliterated to permit the cap to be readily removed.

p' Preferably the container is provided with a peripheral annular beadabove the grooves, the head having its outer edge lying in a cylindricalsurface outside of the bottoms of the grooves. This serves the doublefunction of assisting in holding the cap in position when molded on themouth of the con- Seral No. 407,128.

tainer, and of obliterating the detents of the cap skirt when the cap isremoved from the Container. Vhile the grooves may be of various forms,they are preferably helically disposed below the bead at the mouth ofthe container so that when the cap is turned to loosen it Vfrom removalit simultaneously moves outwardly of the container.

In the illustrative embodiment of `the invention, having reference flrstto Fig. l, there is shown the upper portion of a milk bottle l. providedwith a peripheral annular bead 2 adjacent to its mouth, and providedbelorv such bead with discontinuous grooves 3, which are helical attheir ends by reason of the projections 5 which separate them. As shownin the sectional portion of Fig. l, these grooves have their bottomslying Within a cylindrical surface defined by the outer edge of thebead.

Above the bottle there is shown a cap Il, preferably of thin pliablemetal such as aluminum, in position to be applied to the mouth of thecontainer. The cap may be provided interiorly with a lining of Wax paperor With a disc of suitable sealing material. W'hen the cap is placed onthe container, lateral in ward pressure is applied to its skirt by meansof a pneumatic die or an equivalent instrumentality to cause the skirtto conform to the grooves and general configuration of the mouth of thecontainer. In this Way the cap is provided with detents which engage thegrooves of the container and hold the cap in its applied sealingposition with sufficient firmness for its intended purpose, the cap thensealing the top of the container and protecting its month againstcontamination.

To remove the cap, it is only necessary to rotate it on the bottle, thecap being formed of sufficiently pliable metal or other material topermit of such rotation without exerting undue effort. By such rotationof the cap upon the bottle shown herein, helical grooves 3 engaged bythe detents of the cap cause the cap to move outwardly of the bottle.Further rotation, or outward 1novement of the cap, so obliterates thedetents previously formed in its skirt that the skirt is substantiallyof the same forni as` it was beforebeing applied to the bottle. The capmay then be used as a replacement seal or cover for the bottle to closeits top and pro- 5 tect its mouth against contamination, but because ofthe plainness of its skirt it shows that the bottle has been openedafter being originally sealed.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained theprinciple and operation of my invention, and have illustrated anddescribed what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However,I desire to have it understood that, within the scope ofthe appendedclaims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specificallyillustrated and described.

I claim as my invention: l. In combination with a bottle or likecontainer having the exterior of its mouth provided with discontinuousgrooves of curved configurations throughout, of a cap formed of pliablematerial applied to the top of said container and provided with acontinuous and uninterrupted skirt molded in position on the mouth ofsaid container to engage said grooves thereof by detents so formed insaid skirt, *whereby said may be loosened for removal and the detents 30of its skirt simultaneously obliteratedby turning the cap angularly uponthe container.

2. The combination witha bottle or like container provided with aperipheral annular bead adjoining its mouth and with grooves below suchbead and within a cylindrical surface defined by the outer edge of thebead, of a closure cap formed of pliable material applied to the mouthof the con- 40 tainer and having a continuous and uninterrupted skirlJmolded in position on the mouth of the container to engage said groovesthereof by detents so formed in said skirt, whereby said cap may beloosened for removal and the detents of its skirt simultaneouslyobliterated by turning the cap angularly upon the container.

3. The combination with a bottle or like container provided with aperipheral annular bead adjoining its mouth and with helically disposedgrooves below such bead and within a cylindrical surface defined by theouter edge of the bead, of a closure cap ofv thin pliable metal appliedto the` mouth of the container and having a continuous and uninterruptedskirt molded in position on the mouth 'of said container to engage saidgrooves thereof by detents so formed in the skirt, whereby rotation ofthe cap upon the container simultaneously obliterates said detents of'said skirt and causes the cap to move outwardly of the container.

In testimony whereof, I sign my name. JOHN E. SHARP.

